1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a baffle arrangement to control heating and cooling loss along with controlling wind and moisture at the perimeter and attic area of buildings.
2. Prior Art
Mold, mildew, ice damage, heat loss, cooling loss and condensation are problems that builders and homeowners have to deal with in their structures. These problems arise no matter whether the structure is in a heating climate or in a cooling climate. Problems of mold and mildew may arise in either. In the heating climates, thermal insulation in ceilings may be of a reduced thickness at the building perimeters, due to width geometry. This results, however, heating and cooling losses at those perimeters, which may result in condensation formation thereat. These warm or cool spots may lead to higher surface relative humidities, mold and mildew buildup. Builders in such areas have used roof framing with high-heel trusses, to allow greater thickness of ceiling insulation to be installed at those perimeters, to reduce heat and cooling loss thereat. However, wind and moisture may still infiltrate the construction and sabotage insulation performance. Eave blocks are used by some in an effort to control wind washing and to reduce mold and mildew growth at those perimeters of the building.
In both types of construction when soffit vents are utilized, there is a need for blocking at the eaves while still allowing for an air channel directly below the roof sheathing for venting into the attic areas.
Mold and mildew are problems in both heating and cooling climates, where warmer and cooler air meet, thus creating moisture concerns. Cold surfaces in cooling climates may occur when air conditioning the interior of the buildings. As the exterior hot air is cooled, its relative humidity increases. If the exterior hot air is also humid, the cooling of the air will increase its relative humidity to the point at which moisture and mold growth may occur, typically 70%. Sometimes, the relative humidity may increase to 100%, resulting in condensation.
For effective ventilation through the soffit area, free flowing air channels must be provided to allow passage of air and moisture out through the attic area. It is important to maintain proper ventilation and uniform temperature in both heating and cooling climates so as to release moisture through air transfer and evaporation.
In order to minimize the moisture buildup and the inherent damage it causes, both to wood structures and to any insulation or surface thereadjacent, the prior art teaches ventilating the area of the overhang of the roof adjacent to a wall. In this area called a soffit, some form of eave block and vent is needed to control and direct air flow, to help prevent insulation damage along with other associated problems. Wind washing through a soffit vent without an eave block vent and channel will sabotage the insulation in a room between the rafters thereof and the adjacent joists of the ceiling thereunder, thereby minimizing insulation effectiveness.
A number of attempts at ventilating the roof and soffit area are shown in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,847 to Crookston shows a ventilated insulating roofing system, which however, utilizes a very complicated arrangement of rigid insulation through their channels. This unfortunately is very costly and complicated to assemble. U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,551 to Post shows a ventilation spacer for roof construction wherein a rigid strip of corrugated metal or plastic having slits permits inflow of air under the roof shingles and sheeting therewith. This again is relatively expensive and somewhat complicated to install. U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,577 to Snyder shows a laminated noncombustible board for forming ductwork and headers. This construction requires a corrugated building material to be arranged between the rafters and the roof sheathing. It is expensive and yet another difficult attempt at solving the moisture buildup problem.
Moisture removal is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,515 to Freese wherein a subterranean drain includes a multilayed panel with frusto-conical members therebetween for fluid drainage from a wall surface. Needless to say, this is an expensive and cumbersome approach to the solution of the problem. U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,409 to Sells shows a vented fascia board for positioning between the roof and the soffit of a building. This soffit board requires ventilation channels therethrough. It would be expensive to manufacture and is of a rigid nature, so as to make its construction and use somewhat complicated.
It is an object of the present invention, to provide an eave block, vent and channel arrangement which may be easily and readily placed in a roof assembly, in any one of several construction arrangements. This arrangement is to prevent air infiltration and moisture from damaging insulation arranged between the joists and/or rafters of a building, yet permit required ventilation and allow air to flow properly over the insulation and under the roof sheathing between the rafters. The air should ultimately exit through attic venting areas.
It is yet a further object of the present invention, to prevent a double vapor barrier, and to provide an eave block, vent and channel arrangement that is easy to manufacture, simple to install, and is readily adjustable at the site of construction, to permit varying degrees of ventilation in the building where it is utilized.
It is still yet a further object of the present invention to impede air flow thereby channeling and evenly distributing air into the attic area of a building from the soffit area of that building.